Match Report: Bideford AFC vs Tavistock AFC
Brillant first-half, sees Lambs pick up all three points in Devon Derby
By Luca Sperti
Tavistock came into the game in North Devon unbeaten in their previous three fixtures. Stuart Henderson’s side came into the match making two changes from last Wednesday 3-3 draw with Larkhall, with Taylor Scarff returning to the centre-of-defence, after international duty, replacing Charlie Elkington. The other changes for the Lambs saw Teigan Rosenquest come in at right-back for Iestyn Harris, who picked up a knock in Wednesday encounter and was only fit enough for the bench. Bideford came into the encounter winless in three and without scoring a goal in any of those fixtures. Tavi started the game off stronger and took the lead in only three minutes, thanks to inform winger Joe O’Loughlin. Liam Prynn for Tavi picked up the ball just outside the box, before playing a through ball towards the box to O’Loughlin. The former Yate man took one touch, before smashing the ball with his weaker right-foot into the roof of the net, leaving Adam Seedhouse Evans in the Bideford goal with no chance. The goal was the local lads third goal in as many appearances, after the winger found the net in the games against Cribbs and Larkhall. In the ninth minute a first chance for Bideford in the encounter, saw the ball finds its way to left-winger Finn Roberts. With time on his hands, the former Buckland Athletic man looked to curled the ball into the far corner first-time. However, the young winger’s strike was mishit and sailed over Aaron Dearing’s goal. In the 17th minute a ball over to the right, saw O’Loughlin pick up the ball in a similar area to where he scored. This time the winger took another touch before he was then slid by Bideford defender Owen Stockton. Referee Bailey Walker had no hesitation and pointed to the spot, for a penalty to Tavistock. Tavi number nine Prynn stepped up and placed his spot kick right into the bottom right-corner, despite Seedhouse Evans diving the right-way the keeper once again had no chance. The perfect penalty was the forwards 12th goal off the season and second this term against his former club.
In the 22nd minute Tavi’s Alfie Cunnigham picked up the ball in the left-winger position, before taking on Bideford right-back Jack Windsor. The Welshman sent the young right-back inside and out, before sending in a cross which was flick of Windsor and out for a corner. The resulting corner was off the training ground, with Alex Battle finding Tallan Burns who found Prynn. However, the strikers touch was too heavy just outside the box and Bideford cleared their lines. In the 25th minute another huge chance for Tavi, saw an Alex Battle through ball deflect into the path of Prynn in the box. The forward hit and powerful strike towards the goal which was expertly tipped away by Seedhouse Evans in the Bideford goal. The ball was only cleared as far as captain Ed Harrison, who took a touch before playing the ball out wide to Jack Endacott. The Plymouth Argyle loanee, sent in a cross towards the box, which was eventually cleared by Bideford defender Robert Farkins. In the 29th minute, excellent neat play from Tavi saw O’Loughlin, Prynn and Battle play one-twos with each other. The ball eventually found Battle, who took one touch before turning and smashing a shot from outside the box onto the left-hand side off the crossbar. The ball came back into play after hitting the bar but it was eventually cleared by the Bideford defence. In the 36th minute great play by the impressive Cunnigham on the left-wing saw the winger caught on the ankle by Torquay loanee Jack Windsor. In the 38th minute it was 0-3 to the Lambs. A second corner in a row, was taken by Battle who swung the ball into the near post which was flicked on by O’Loughlin. The ball was then headed by a Bideford man but only right into the path of Captain Harrison, who calmly headed the ball past Seedhouse Evans into the middle of the net. It was the Tavi Captain’s fifth goal of an impressive season. A minute later another chance for Tavi, saw Prynn hold up the ball well near the far-corner before finding Endacott. The full-back did excellently to take on Windsor near the by-line and make his way into the box before finding the ball to Cunnigham. The winger took a touch, but just before hitting the trigger was tackled by Farkins at the last-second. In the 44th minute, a big chance for Bideford saw number nine Stuart Bowker out strength Ben Cross before finding himself one-on-one with Aaron Dearing. The striker took a touch before smashing the ball over the bar from close range, it was a big chance for Bideford and a let-off for Tavi. In the third minute of three added for first-half stoppages, Bideford did pull a goal back. Josh Webber picked up the ball for Bideford before playing it out-wide to Jack Windsor. The Torquay loanee, played the ball on the over-lap to Alfie Clark who sent in a low delivery towards the box. There was Bowker who calmly swept the ball into the corner from the penalty-spot. That was the final action, in a impressive first-half for Tavi who could have scored more in the first knockings off the encounter.
Only a minute into the second-half, Bideford pulled another goal back. A corner was swung in by Clark, towards the box where it was headed by Archie Reay. The former Willand midfielders header, flicked of Tavi defender Taylor Scarr which wrong-footed Dearing before slowly rolling into the net. Despite Dearing’s best efforts to claw it off-the-line. It was the perfect for the Robins in the second half. In the 50th minute a penalty claim for Tavi was waved away by Walker, after Prynn and Stockton both fell to the floor after grabbing hold of each-other. Prynn came of worse and fell awkwardly on his shoulder. Luckily for Tavi after treatment, the striker was okay to carry-on. In the 53rd minute a freekick for Bideford was hit towards goal by full-back Alex Byrne, before being comfortably caught by Dearing. Only a minute later, a chance for Tavi saw Harrison find Battle, who took the ball past two defenders on the edge of the box before getting his shot away. However, the former Truro man’s effort was easily caught by Seedhouse Evans. In the 61st minute, Tavi were awarded a corner after a misplaced Finn Robers touch was deemed to have crossed the line. The resulting corner was whipped in by Burns and flicked on by Prynn before being half-cleared by the Bideford back-line. The ball fell to Scarff in the box, who first-time volleyed the ball wide of the far-post. In the 66th minute great wing-play by Cunnigham saw the winger find Endacott on the overlap. However, the former Tiverton loanee’s cross was overhit and went out for a goal kick to Bideford. In the 68th minute a through ball by Rosenquest found Prynn, who looked to be in on goal, until a great tackle by Farkins saw the defender clear the ball out for a corner. In the 71st minute a great chance for Bideford, saw Bowker played in but the striker’s chipped effort was high and wide off Dearing’s goal. In the 73rd minute, the first change of the afternoon was made by Tavi, with Teigan Rosenquest being replaced by Iestyn Harris. Only two minutes later, Bideford made their first change with Jordan Ewing replacing Finn Roberts on the wing.
In the 77th minute a big-chance for Bideford, saw a one-two find Archie Reay on the left-hand-side of the box. The midfielder smashed a shot towards goal which was expertly saved by the onrushing Dearing, who made himself big and strong. In the 80th minute Tavi’s second change, saw impressive Exeter City loanee Alfie Cunnigham replaced by fellow winger Jacob Bowker. In the 85th minute the first card of the afternoon was given to Jack Windsor, for a foul to stop a Tavi attack. A minute later Tavi made their final change off the afternoon, with Andy Elcock replacing work horse Liam Prynn. Six minutes were added for stoppage time in the second half with Tavi looking to hold on for a crucial victory, to help in their quest to make it into the play-offs. In the first minute of added time, Bideford made another change with Lewis Hall replacing Jack Windsor. In the third minute of added time, a last-ditch challenge by Ben Cross, saw the defender block a Bowker shot which looked to be heading into the net. The resulting corner was whipped in by Bideford but after pushing in the box the Referee gave a freekick to the Lambs. In the fifth minute of added time a freekick for Bideford was whipped in by goalkeeper Seedhouse Evans towards the box. Dearing rose highest to punch the ball away, as far as Stockton but the defender shot was hit just wide of the Tavi goal. The Referee blew the whistle not long later, with Tavi holding on for an important victory despite a much-improved performance from Bideford in the second half. The victory for the black and red outfit sees them jump into 11th position just four points outside the play-off picture. Bideford, sit in ninth and despite poor form, the Robins are still only three-points off fifth place, where they have spent the majority of the season. Tavi travel to Malvern Town on Saturday in a must-win game for both sides, if they want to keep their play-off ambitions alive. Bidford travel to free-scoring Bishop’s Cleeve, who recently snuck into the play-offs after an emphatic 0-4 away victory at Cribbs.
Lineups:
Bideford AFC: Seedhouse Evans, Windsor (Hill 90), Byrne, Moyse, Stockton, Farkins, Clark, Reay, Bowker, Webber, Roberts (Ewing 75)
Tavistock AFC: Dearing, Cross, Endacott, Scarff, Burns, Harrison, Prynn (Elcock 86), Battle, Rosenquest (Harris 73), O’Loughlin, Cunnigham (Bowker 80)
